1. Field of the Invention
The present invention refers to an apparatus for feeding capsules, in particular single-use capsules for the preparation of beverages, infusions and the like, for beverage vending machines.
2. Description of Related Art
In the following description, the term “capsule” is used to mean shells or envelopes in the shape of a cylinder or a frustum of cone, provided with an annular edge.
At the present time, due to a number of hygienic, convenience and efficiency reasons, the use is spreading rapidly in beverage vending machines of so-called pre-packed, ready-to-use, single-portion disposable capsules, which contain a liquid or solid mixture for the preparation of hot and/or cold beverages, such as coffee, tea, infusions, tisanes and the like.
In the practical operation of the beverage vending machines that make use of such single-use capsules, the need arises for the capsules to be withdrawn one at a time from the compartment in which they are stored, and to be then conveyed towards the brewing unit which, upon having gained access to the contents of the capsule, goes through the beverage preparation process. Since these capsules generally are in a not fully symmetrical shape, or have one or more preferential opening directions, it is a largely known fact that their arrangement in the storage compartments provided in the vending machine must be carried out in such a manner as to ensure that the capsules are since the beginning already suitably oriented in view of the conveyance and beverage preparation operations that have to take place subsequently. In currently used vending machines, the conveyance systems used for such single-use capsules require that these be stored inside the machine in the form of suitably pre-arranged stacks, i.e. stacks that are pre-packed and ready for loading as such into the appropriate storage compartment in the vending machine. It can be readily appreciated that these stacks of capsules must actually be specially pre-packed not only according to a particular preferential orientation, but also by keeping the dimensions of the storage compartment available in the particular model of vending machine into due account. When the single-use capsules are not available in the form of pre-packed stacks, or when the feeding apparatus does not allow for such stacks to be used, the capsule stacking procedure must be completed manually on the spot by the servicing operators themselves, under corresponding lengthening of the time required for completing the servicing operations for replenishing the vending machine. Furthermore, this makes it quite likely that errors are made in positioning the capsules, which could cause the vending machine to get jammed and, as a result, the owner of the vending installation suffers an economic loss.